Coalition for Change urges pro-Western political forces to cooperate to remove regime that intentionally undermines national interests

“Coalition for Change strictly condemns the statement made by Irakli Kobakhidze on August 8 through which he intentionally falsified historic facts and legal assessments detrimental to Georgia’s national interests,” reads the statement released by the Coalition for Change.

According to the statement, the PM’s words could potentially be used by Russia to mitigate its own responsibility and shift the full weight of responsibility onto Georgia.

“The statement made on the 18th anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war, saying that the Russia-Georgia war started on August 8, while the Georgian government shelled Tskhinvali on August 7, is the official narrative of Russia and serves to shift the full weight of responsibility onto Georgia, which is a political choice against our country’s national interests .

There are several independent international conclusions on the 2008 war (The Tagliavini Commission, officially the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia; European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), case Georgia vs Russia (II), 2021, International Criminal Court (ICC), 2022, and reports from the UN General Assembly) which collectively shape a clear picture showing that the full responsibility on the initiation of hostilities, as well as the occupation resulting from the war, ethnic cleansing, and the ongoing violation of Georgia’s sovereignty, lies with the Russian Federation.

Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement intentionally weakens Georgia’s position in relations with international institutions and partner states and could potentially be used by Russia to mitigate its own responsibility and shift the full weight of responsibility onto Georgia.

Kobakhidze’s statement deliberately creates political and legal ambiguity regarding the country’s recent history, thereby undermining our state’s resilience both domestically and in the international arena. This statement, contradicting Georgia’s constitutional principles and the established official stance on occupation, requires strict political and legal assessment.

The Coalition for Change believes that upon change of government, an objective and independent judiciary should launch an investigation and legally assess possible signs of crime behind Kobakhidze’s statement, as well as the motives and objectives he had when making a statement on behalf of Georgia containing deliberately falsified historical facts and legal assessments that are detrimental to Georgia’s national interests.

We urge all pro-Western political forces to cooperate to remove the regime intentionally damaging Georgia’s national interests and to investigate and assess its anti-Georgian moves.

Coalition for Georgia reconfirms that full responsibility for the August 2008 war and its consequences (continuing occupation of Georgia’s territory, ethnic cleansing, mass and gross violation of human rights, violation of Georgia’s sovereignty) lies with the Russian Federation,” reads the statement.

For the record, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said: “Russian troops entered on August 8, when the then-President of Russia made the relevant statement; what happened on August 7 was that the Saakashvili regime shelled Tskhinvali.”